'No food or drink'

Hi

The info page on the site says 'No Food or Drink allowed on site'. What exactly does this mean, considering that festival goers will be on site for approximately 11 hours?

I guess it means what it says, which is kinda dissapointing after all the hubbabaloo about going back to the roots of festivals, and being all about us as festival goers. It's gonna mean £5 a pint, and £5 for a hot dog probably , same as all the others....ho hum. At least we got Neil, he'll cheer us up

Yeah, it does seem rather hypocritical.
I really don't see how forcing us to buy their overpriced food and drink is giving the power back to the punters.
Also dissapointed by the lack of camping. I plan on getting the train down from the north east of scotland, I have no idea what I will do after the festival.

Ok I hadn't noticed that. I bought my ticket under the impression you'd be able to take your own stuff. I hate that at festivals, as if you haven't paid enough for the ticket, they then fleece you with the food. Which is lower quality than Tesco Value and higher priced than Waitrose Finest. Very disappointed now, but thanks for pointing this out to me, saves disappointment on the day lol

Enough of these negative thoughts...Hop Farm has its own real ale so I'm expecting top ales. If you drink lager though unlucky shez.

Yeah, it does sound odd considering the fuss Mr Power is making about 'No Corporate Branding or Sponsorship'. At the end of the day, what benefit is that actually going to be? I couldn't care whether an event is sponsored or not, I just care that I don't get ripped off and the facilities are decent. Like most other people, I guess.

Beas wrote:Yeah, it does sound odd considering the fuss Mr Power is making about 'No Corporate Branding or Sponsorship'. At the end of the day, what benefit is that actually going to be? I couldn't care whether an event is sponsored or not, I just care that I don't get ripped off and the facilities are decent. Like most other people, I guess.

Yes, well, I think it was quite clever to use the "brand" of "no branding" to "sell" this festival. I was seriously considering going until I saw the "no own food or drink on site" especially after being dismayed about the "no camping" stipulation. Frankly, this was the last straw. I've got experience of being at the much-missed London Fleadh of the early 90's also run by Vince Power- a great festival in itself, but that same rule of "no food or drink to be brought on site" meant very over-priced junk food and beer, (allright, it was good ale, served up by some sort of worker's co-operative) but it was pretty pricey. The worse was being searched on the entry gates and any booze innocently being brought in, was summarily confiscated by the security staff, never to be seen again. Unlike many of you youngsters who have never seen Neil Young before, I have seen him twice now, and yes, they have been great gigs. But I refuse to go this rip-off, sorry Vince!

Would it be too much to ask Vince Power for some clarification or excuse on this subject.

ARGH, ARGH, AARRGGHH!
No food or drink allowed in? Well, no problem really as long as they are selling it, afterall, it's only for one day, or evening if you find a pub first:-)
Though that idea is flawed as the line-up is pretty good!

However, what would happen if someone had special dietary needs, would they be refused entry?
It would also be discrimination. So, I have a cunning plan. Everyonee visit their doctor and get a certificate stating you must have constant access to your own food and drink, or at the very least, drinks at normal pub prices.

Yeah, that should work.

Hello all,

As one of the first people to buy a ticket for this, I ordered the tickets for myself and friends, mainly on the grounds that Neil Young was headlining and that this festival was going to be a break from the overpriced, rip-off, corporate-sponsered events that I refuse to attend anymore. I'm grateful to see a corporate free event, but if something like this is going to be a success, and becoming an annual, growing event, then it needs to be run bravely enough. And by bravely enough, I mean that the organisers, who to their credit have been open and communicative with their customers thus far, need to also cut the cord with on-site retailers who year in, year out, take the opportunity to gouge fans of money for food and drink. Put plainly, drink prices in the north of England are bad enough right now with £2.70 to £3.00 being the norm, and probably more in the south.

Are we really going to be forced to buy £5 or even £6 a pint beer, or £5 for a burger and fries at this 'corporate-free', 'for the fans' event Mr. Power? Fans need this posting up in black and white, just like the corporate-free side of this festival has been posted up in black and white to fans and the media alike. I have had what is frankly the priviledge of being able to communicate with the organisers so far, via e-mail on a couple of occasions. I hope this openness extends to answering this particular question, because for festival-goers on a budget (which is pretty much all of us!), this isn't a minor issue. Don't get me wrong, I wasn't planning on taking in 3 litres of gin and inducing liver failure, but if I want a drink, I'd sooner not have to re-mortgage the bungalow for the right to do so!!! lol

Vince - are you really saying that fans can't bring in their own booze? And if so, why? I note that under-12's go free, which is great. But are you planning on telling your security staff to take parents food for their kids off them at the gate, and take granddad's whisky flask off him while his grandchildren watch? I don't care who you hire at the gate, security staff take sick pleasure at every event I go to, in being absolute power-crazed a-holes at these events. For goodness sake, don't turn this into an open-air Manchester Apollo. I saw Neil Young at M/cr Apollo in March - great show, but the blatant Nazism of the security people marred what was a great night. If you stood up to applaud, you had ultra-bright torches shined into your eyes. And so on, and so on. I drift off the point somewhat, but my point is that if you are going to set up an event where the greeting for ticket-holders upon their arrival is the confiscation of their property, i.e. their hard-earned food and drink, you will completely fail at creating the occasion that you say you want - an free-thinking, good-natured day out of fun, camaraderie and music that is centred upon fans' enjoyment.

C'mon Vince, clear this one up - and tell the venders charging £5-£6 a pint that the game is up, they've had their fill and that fans aren't going to take it anymore. Do that, and this festival will outstrip Glastonbury within 5 years. It's in your hands sir and I trust you will do the right thing.

Peace,

Daniel

The Philosopher King wrote:Hello all,

As one of the first people to buy a ticket for this, I ordered the tickets for myself and friends, mainly on the grounds that Neil Young was headlining and that this festival was going to be a break from the overpriced, rip-off, corporate-sponsered events ....

Are we really going to be forced to buy £5 or even £6 a pint beer, or £5 for a burger and fries at this 'corporate-free', 'for the fans' event Mr. Power? Fans need this posting up in black and white, just like the corporate-free side of this festival has been posted up in black and white to fans and the media alike. I have had what is frankly the priviledge of being able to communicate with the organisers so far, via e-mail on a couple of occasions. I hope this openness extends to answering this particular question, because for festival-goers on a budget (which is pretty much all of us!), this isn't a minor issue. Don't get me wrong, I wasn't planning on taking in 3 litres of gin and inducing liver failure, but if I want a drink, I'd sooner not have to re-mortgage the bungalow for the right to do so!!! lol

Vince - are you really saying that fans can't bring in their own booze? And if so, why? I note that under-12's go free, which is great. But are you planning on telling your security staff to take parents food for their kids off them at the gate, and take granddad's whisky flask off him while his grandchildren watch?

C'mon Vince, clear this one up - and tell the venders charging £5-£6 a pint that the game is up, they've had their fill and that fans aren't going to take it anymore. Do that, and this festival will outstrip Glastonbury within 5 years. It's in your hands sir and I trust you will do the right thing.

Peace,

Daniel

Very well said young man!! And as I have indicated in a post somewhere above, this is the main reason that I will not be attending this event. I woudn't be too hopefull about any of this being clarified properly and anybody "doing the right thing". This is all about certain individuals and commercial concerns making lots of money- corporate or not corporate. And yes, when I attended the old Irish Fleadh festivals in North London, promoted by Vince Power, and with the same "no booze, no food to be brought in" rule, the security guards did act like animals, confiscating hidden plastic bottles of wine, the odd sandwich. There are lots of other festivals, (I'm thinking of Cropredy on particular) where there is no problem about bringing in your own food and drink, and it all runs very well, and a good time is had by one and all. There is also a campsite, where you can park your car next to your tent, unlike this event, which I'm sorry to say is starting to feel like (yet another) big rip-ff.

peterwales wrote:Very well said young man!! And as I have indicated in a post somewhere above, this is the main reason that I will not be attending this event. I woudn't be too hopefull about any of this being clarified properly and anybody "doing the right thing". This is all about certain individuals and commercial concerns making lots of money- corporate or not corporate. And yes, when I attended the old Irish Fleadh festivals in North London, promoted by Vince Power, and with the same "no booze, no food to be brought in" rule, the security guards did act like animals, confiscating hidden plastic bottles of wine, the odd sandwich. There are lots of other festivals, (I'm thinking of Cropredy on particular) where there is no problem about bringing in your own food and drink, and it all runs very well, and a good time is had by one and all. There is also a campsite, where you can park your car next to your tent, unlike this event, which I'm sorry to say is starting to feel like (yet another) big rip-ff.

Thank you Peter! Good to know I'm not alone on this.

I hope you're wrong, I really hope you are, but while I'm just a pup at 28 y.o., what little experience I do have of 'modern' festivals has taught me that you're going to be absolutely right about this. The funny thing is though, if organisers think that this will make them money, they're dead wrong. I can't do it myself, being a youth worker and needing to keep my enhanced CRB clearance nice and polished, but I know for a fact that my ever-sly generation, when faced with a fiver a pint for beer, will retaliate not with words or violence, but by sticking ecstacy tablets, amphetamine and cocaine down their pants instead! If the organisers want several thousand people roaming around high on class A's, then good for them, but I'll be amazed if the beer vendors make even slightly more than 2 buttons, an out of date 50 pence piece and a tub of shit out of the music going punters who turn up to watch class acts like Neil Young. I mean, the people who are coming to Hop Farm aren't a bunch of rave-fan numpties, we're folk, indie and psychedelia fans for crying out loud. This kind of crowd usually has one degree per two people between 'em, and the intellegience to stock up on ANY substance that can be taped to the crack of their asses...lol.

Vince - c'mon, you're a clever man, figure this one out. It's not rocket science. It's this kind of treatment that pushes us all away from the big fests into the welcoming arms of events like Cropredy like Peter said.

Good weekend y'all,

Daniel - oh, and I didn't realise they were planning on screwing up the parking for us as well. Sweet mercy, if this is what happens when you remove the corporate sponsorship, then hell, I'm in favour of a day's brainwashing by Orange, O2 and the like. They may as well give the Army a tent for a recruitment drive while they're at it!!!

Hey All

I received a call from my friend this morning telling me about this new unbranded festival in Kent- "No sponsors Sammy B- Thought it would be your kinda thing and Neil Young n Primal Scream are Playing it" Excited at this prospect I came online to investigate..
Well well well.. disappointed. No food or drink.! What does that mean.? I agree with Daniel and Peter and everyone else on this discussion board. Vince Power- has he really carried out his research.? I think the festival punter (such as me and you and you) would say one of the main problems with corporate festivals is the price of food and drink.! Mr Power claims he is taking this festival back to roots.?? Call me old fashioned but the ethos of festivals of yester-year was not to rip off the punter. It was about the people and the music. The fact that he is branding this festival as 'unbranded' makes me laugh. I live in the South West Coast of Scotland and I was truly going to attend this festival but NO not now. It will be the same as every other corporate festival: Overpriced food and drink, Security City and People Crammed in with no place to sit and chill.
I am surprised that Primal Scream and Neil Young have agreed to play this with the 'No food or drink' Rule. Also No Camping.. Well I find it difficult to accept that this is a festival.. it's not, Is it.? I don't think so.
May I take this opportunity to recommend 2 wonderful festivals North of the Border.. The Wickerman and Knockengorroch. These are festivals which I will be attending and yes people you can camp and bring in your own food and drink.! I conclude that there is never any bother at these festivals and that they are a happy occasion where people of all ages join together to celebrate music, art and creativity.
Maybe see you there.!

Peace, Love n CHEESE

Sammy B x

To be fair, and to put this into some context, I know from a friend who used to run an "ethnic" food stall at various outdoor events, any food providers usually have to pay an upfront "rental" to put up their stall for the day. This can be huge, esp. at big festivals such as Glastonbury, and I know that some stall-holders may actually struggle to make much of a profit after having to pay-up this initial amount. I don't know what the set-up at this "festival" is, but it still means that people usually have to pay well over the odds for beer and burgers, etc. It usually also means that even if the food stall owners aren't making much of a profit- the promoter of the festival is making even more by charging this upfront rental. So, no, I still won't be going. Incidentally, I may have mis-read the article, but Vince Power was in a newspaper piece about Glastonbury recently, saying (if I got this correct) that he didn't see anything wrong with people selling their tickets for Glastonbury at 4 times their original amount on E-bay as this was just private enterprise! Maybe that tells us something?
As for the no-camping thing, two of the very big one-day "festivals" in the mid-70's, I attended- Pink Floyd at Knebworth(1975), and Dylan at Blackbush(1978), both attended by about 200,000 each- there was no camping at either, and it was impossible to leave the car-parks all night due to the sheer numbers, so we amused ourselves in the way people did in those days- by smoking stuff that it's illegal to smoke and so on and so forth. But that was then, and this is now, and I still think it's outrageous there is no provision for own food or drink or for camping overnight.

Hi All.
I contacted the Vince Power Group and got this email response:

Hi Cyril,

There are a number of reasons that food and drink cannot be brought into the
festival, Health & Safety being the main one. Also, having vendors on-site
helps small local food sellers make money. Vince Power Music Group doesn't
make profit from the vendors selling food.

Thanks for getting in touch,


Patrick Power-Ryce
___________________
020 7644 1434 (direct line)

Vince Power Music Group
Handrail House,
65 Maygrove Road,
London NW6 2QN
020 7644 1420

www.hopfarmfestival.com

www.vpmg.net

So there we have the answer, it's all down to Health & Safety! Of course, we should have known that. Well, if you think you want to voice your opinion there is an email address, it's patrick.power-ryce@vpmg.net